Police says Libyans entered nation on examine visas to coach as safety guards, however might have acquired navy coaching.
South African police have detained 95 Libyan nationals for questioning on suspicion of receiving coaching at a secret navy camp.
Police mentioned on Friday that they’d carried out a morning raid on the alleged navy camp, situated at a farm in White River in Mpumalanga province within the north of the nation.
“We’re not arresting them now, however we’re taking them in for questioning and can examine any felony exercise,” mentioned police spokesman Donald Mdhluli.
“The positioning was mentioned to be a coaching camp for a safety firm, however it’s a navy base by the seems to be of issues,” he mentioned, including that the proprietor of the safety firm was a South African nationwide.
Police mentioned the operation to arrest the Libyans and shut down the camp started two days in the past. Tv footage from the scene confirmed a heavy police presence outdoors the suspected camp, which included inexperienced military-style tents and sandbags.
Nationwide police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe mentioned in a put up on X that the Libyans mentioned they have been coming into the nation on examine visas to coach as safety guards, however police investigations recommended they’d acquired navy coaching.
It was not instantly clear whether or not the 95 people have been affiliated to any group.
Libya continues to be riven by battle and civil war greater than a decade after the 2011 NATO-backed overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
The nation is split between the United Nations-recognised authorities based mostly in Tripoli and a rival administration within the nation’s east.
Though relative calm has returned to the oil-rich nation up to now 4 years, clashes periodically happen between armed teams.
“We take any risk to the safety and stability of our province and nation very critically,” mentioned Main Basic Zeph Mkhwanazi, provincial commissioner of the South African police in Mpumalanga.
The investigation was “nonetheless ongoing”, mentioned his workplace in an announcement, underlining that there was “no fast risk to neighborhood security”.